Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-01-15

be a. follows:
County OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. S4 .s7s.6 51
township. Sal5Snc
School District. ................. SIS. 10
Total. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS S0.619.s51
It is hardly probable, however, that half
Of the bonds now voted, but not yet Issued,
will ever be earned. But the aggregate of
our municipal Indebtedness, even il ono
issued, will exceed $25. 0OO, 600. and it seems
10 me time to put stop, firmly and
thoroughly, to this wastful extravaganza.
Vast % are the resources of our state, Won
derful q its growth has been, and bright as
it's prospects are, neither the produotiveness
and development of tho present, nor the
hopes of the future, will justify a oontinu-
RAILROAD BONDS.
Il will be observed that 81, O63, 0lS of the
bonds already issued, ana $11, 146, GOO of
these voted but not yet issued, have been
voted to aid in building railroads. This
system of bond-voting to build railroads
began twenty years ago, and continued for
nearly O decade. Then came q period of
business and industrial depression, followed
by an era of attempted reputation, the
effects of which are still lingering in the
courts. Three years ago another epidemic
of railroad bond-voting broke out, and has
since spread throughout nearly every sec
ton of the state. The most conservative
communities have yielded to the contagion,
ard the all-absorb ing ambition of every
county and town in the state seems 10 be to
secure railroads.
It would not be just to deprive counties
having no railroads of the powers other
counties have, thus far. exercised. But if
an authority to vote bonds in aid of, or take
nk0ok IN, pai1pnoda una 6aniA1 tn onu IN
now traversed by ono or more lines of rail-
way, no injustice would be done, nor would
the building of any legitimate or needed
line of railway be retarded or prevented.
AS long, however, as counties, townships or
cities are permitted to vote bonds for such
purposes, just so long will the bond voting
continue. One community will vote addi-
tional Indebtedness on itself because, if it
does not, it may lose advantages it has already
paid immense sums of money to secure. In
this age, railroads make and unmake cities
and towns, and hence a fourishing commu-
nifty, on whose commerce and industries the
prosperity of hundreds or thousands of peo-
pie depend, may be destroyed by tho build
ing of one or two railways. Confronted by
the alternative of voting bonds or of seeing
the accumulations and labors of years de-
stroyed, the people, with or without the ap
proyal of their judgment, "vote the Dor ds."
They cannot afford tn do otherwise. It is,
on the one hand, the assumption of bur-
densome debt, or, on the other, the destruc-
ton of all their hopes. and, possibly, their
financial ruin.
II, however, all authority to vote bonds in
aid of railroads was revoked, except il
counties having no railway lines within their
limits, this bond voting under duress would
cease. Such Iailroads as the carrying trad,
of the state will support, and all lines de-
manded by legitimate business interests
would be built by honest railway enterprise
without regard to local aid. Any other rail
roads than these are not, and never will be.
of advantage to the state. starving rail-
road is not a benefit is curse to the
community it pretends to serve. Because
snch railways rs these, or indeed, any lin
of railroad in excess of the carrying trade of
a country, retard and prevent the accom-
plishment of result in which all classe. OF
people are most largely interested, viz: III.
speedy and constant reduction of freight
and fares to the lowest public limit.
I am as anxious as any citizen can be that
every section of our state shall be provided
with the most abundant transportation fati
lities. But, in my judgment, Kansas long
ago passed that stage or development whe n b
bond voting stimulus was necess Try to pro
mote the building of any legitimate rail-
road. AS long however, as authority to vote
bonds is given by law. the railroad com
pauies will make 50 bsidies condition PEE
cedent 10 building roads, and the people Of
different counties, townships and cite will
be compelled to give The aid asked in ord-r
to protect their own local interests against
injury or destruction. To repeal this au-
thority will not prevent the building of rail
roads, but it will prevent the necsssi o
any further increase of our already lar,,
municipal Indebtedness.
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
In my message to the legislature of 1885,
attention was called to the serious defec
in our laws providing for the assessment,
and equalization of property values for
Ia Ration. / again invoke attention to this
subject, which is of vital Importance to the
welfare of the state and its taxpayers. The
present system is VIGOROUSLY inadequate to
secure fair or just equalization of the bur-
dens of government, state or local, and
should be thoroughly and carefully revised.
Its defects were pointed out in my message
of two years ago, and although some legisla-
ton was had, at that time, looking to their
correction, the remedies adopted were in
adj quate.
I Call your attention, in this connection,
20 the recommendations of the late state
given it patient and intelligent study, and
his experience with acknowledge of the
practical workings of various system of as
enable him to point out clearly
The evils of our present system, aud to sug-
yest such changes and reforms as are neces-
;ary to abolish these evils. MI. Howe very
TueIy says that ''the only defect in the
Kansas system of raising revenue is in the
the method of collecting taxes
san scarcely be improved"
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
The report of the state superintendent of
public instruction furnishes fu Information
the development of our pu lie